Animated advertising signs



Nov. 20, 1956 R. N. MORTON 2,770,901

ANIMATED ADVERTISING SIGNS Filed Oct. 9, 1953 29 l 27 A. 28 2 l f INVENTOR.

H w 29 3 RICHARD N MORTON m! United States Patent 2,770,901 ANIMATED ADVERTISING SIGNS Richard N. Morton, Yakima, Wash.

Application October 9, 1953, Serial No. 385,199 4 claims. or. 40-71 This invention relates to advertising signs and is particularly related to animated signs.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an animated sign wherein a rotor supports two rows of lettering at 90 degrees apart. The position of these rows of lettering alternate from a horizontal to a vertical position and back again so that first one row of letters in the form of a word or more, is brought to a vertical position for reading. This row then drops down to a horizontal position out of the line of vision, while the second row is brought to a vertical or reading position, each row of lettering alternating from a vertical to a horizontal position.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of the sign being readable from one side thereof.

Figure 2 is an end sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the mechanism for oscillating the rotor.

Figure 3 illustrates the driving mechanism having rotated the rotor 90 degrees.

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view, taken on line 44 of Figure 1, parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail plan view, taken on line 55 of Figure 2 illustrating the motive power.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail, illustrating how the reflected word is removably mounted thereto.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 7-7 of Figure 4, illustrating the driving mechanism for oscillating the rotor.

Figure 8 is an end view of the sign, having the reflector removed and the sign hung in an inverted position under a support, the said sign being readable from both sides.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

My new andimproved sign consists of a base 1, having upturned edges 2 adapted to receive the hood or cover 3. Extending upwardly from the base and forming part thereof are supporting legs 4. These legs are adapted to have the rotor 5 journalled therein at 6 and 7. The rotor 5 has a shaft 8 running therethrough. This shaft is dropped down into the U-shaped bearings 9 formed on the upper edge of the said legs so that the rotor can be removed easily.

The rotor 5 has longitudinal slots 10 and 11 adapted to receive the rows of letters 12 and 13. The top of the hood or cover 3 is cut away to the edges 14 and 15 on the sides of the hood, and to the edges 16 and 17 on the ends. This permits light rays from a light tube 18 to strike the rows of lettering which are in a vertical position, illuminating the same.

A removable back board 19 provides a non-reflectable background and is mounted to the hood 3 by way of the downwardly extending tongues 20 forming part thereof, the said tongues entering the sockets or loops 21 forming part of the hood 3, best illustrated in Figure 6.

Lettering 22 may be fixedly secured to the vertical face 2,770,901 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 ice 1 23 of the removable back board 19, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. These letters are also illuminated from the light tube 18 through the opening on the top of the hood 3. The light striking the hack board 19 is absorbed so that a desirable eifect in regards to the vertical lettering mounted on the rotor 4 is obtained from the viewpoint of the observer. The light 18 also directs light on to the panel 24, supporting the lettering 25, the lettering showing through the opening 26 of the hood 3.

The rotor 5 is revolved degrees in the following manner: An electric motor 27 is mounted to the base 1, as best illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. A reduction gear 28 is associated with this motor and drives the vertical shaft 29. Keyed to the upper end of the vertical shaft is a star wheel 30. This star wheel is adapted to engage the crank arm 31. The crank arm 31 is keyed to the shaft 8 by any suitable means, as the set screw 32.

Also keyed to the shaft 8 is an adjustable counterweight 33. The object of the counterweight is to return the rotor to a starting position after the star wheel 30 engages the lever or crank arm 31, as indicated in Figures 2 and 5 and moves the same to the position shown in Figure 3 where the end of the star wheel arm slips off the crank arm 31.

The light tube 18 is mounted within a socket 34, which in turn is secured to one. of the legs 4. An additional light tube 35 is provided and mounted within the socket 36 for use when the sign is used in the position shown in Figure 8. When the sign is used as shown in Figure 8, both the light tubes 18 and 35 are in operation, illuminating the letters 37 and 38, which are mounted to a sheet like supporting element which is inserted within the slots 10 of the rotor 5.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved animated sign. When the sign is used as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reflector 19 is used and only the light tube 18 is in operation. The motor 27 is started rotating the star wheel 30. The arms of the star wheel engage the crank arm 31 which is afiixed to the rotor shaft 8, and as the star wheel travels around it will move this arm to the position shown in Figure 3, bringing the line of letters 13 to the position shown, causing the letters 12 to assume a horizontal position or out of the line of vision of the observer.

At the point shown in Figure 3, the arm of the star wheel will slip beyond or away from the crank arm 31, allowing the counterweight 33 to lower the line of letters 13 to the horizontal position shown in Figure 2 and bringing the line of letters 12 back to the vertical position, as shown in this view. This goes on continuously causing the animated action. The counterweight 33 is adjustable so as to adjust its weight, depending upon the various arrangements of rows of letters 12 and 13. This counterweight can be adjusted to its weight, as Well as to its position in relation to the rotor shaft 6.

What is claimed is:

1. An animated sign comprising a flat base having upturned edges, a hood embracing said upturned edges, legs extending upwardly from said base, a shaft journalled on said legs substantially in line with the free edge of said hand, means for supporting two series of letters on said shaft at right angles to each other to be respectively exposed beyond said hood, a light source behind said hood for illuminating the series of letters which are exposed member on the hood behind the shaft and extending upwardly beyond the hood.

3. A sign as set forth in claim 2, said background member having a series of letters on the free edge portion of said member to be illuminated by the light source.

4. A sign as defined in claim 3, said hoodhaving an opening therein beyond the light source, and an inclined sign element mounted on said hood behind said opening to be illuminated by said light source.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

